Tommy Fresh Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 14 hours ago, StriderHiryu said: Middlesborough vs Leicester Pre-Match Preview Boro are a really decent team and have a player I really admire in Michael Carrick in charge who has done an excellent job. He took over when they were in the relegation zone, changed their style of play and took them to the play-offs! I had them down as potential automatic promotion contenders when we first went down, but they got gutted by losing many of their star players such as last season's Championship player of the year Chuba Apkom and started the season badly as a result. However, recent form has picked up a lot and have only dropped points in 2 of their last 10 games. Boro are an attacking team and average a high number of xG in all their games/ Even when their results were bad, the underlying data suggested they were unlucky. They play 4231, but function somewhat similar to Ange Postecoglou's teams, where they go for a back 3 in possession. However, unlike us, the spare fullback doesn't play as an extra midfielder, but as a wide player. This allows them to play a support striker / number 10, and this is the position where Chuba Akpom last season was so deadly from. They maintain a double pivot throughout the match to give them midfield control, and they are a high possession team most of the time. Boro are a modern team; they build from the back and press high up the pitch. However, some of their players aren't as good as last season. Senny Dieng isn't as good with his feet as Zack Steffen was, Emannuel Latteh Lah is no Cameron Archer up front for them. Boro are a fun team to watch because whilst they offer a lot in attack, they take chances at the back and have a lot of space in behind. The 3-3 game I posted above in their last match against Plymouth attesting to that opinion! On paper I'd expect us to win this game. They will create problems, but like we've done in pretty much every away game this season, we should be able to kill them with our quality and especially on the transition. Stephy Mavididi in particular could have a lot of space to work with if we find him. That said, energy levels are important. This is a team that at home especially, will take the game to us, and they like to start fast. We must match their workrate right from the off, and this would be my one concern. as to me it's looked like the players have needed some time off for quite a while, and we could really do with players like Ndidi and Praet back, as well as being able to use Yunus Akgun and Kasey McAteer more often from the bench. ^ An example of Boro in possession. ^ The passing network from the same game. Look how high one of their fullbacks (number 2) gets in their build-up! The only player of note who they actually lost was Akpom wasn't it, if you're going to have x amount of loans who all turn out to be key players, you run the risk of not replacing them next season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
09bballer Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 Buzzing for this one now. Tight game with a 2-1 win I reckon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unabomber Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 I can’t see beyond a very tough game today, I think we will win 1-2 though thankfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adejo92 Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 Think we'll get our first draw today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox_favourite Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 23 minutes ago, adejo92 said: Think we'll get our first draw today. I'm going for a draw as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanefox Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 12 hours ago, glasgowfox said: Any suggestions for apub in Middlesbrough as doctor browns now closed Stereo bar is the away pub/bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Flair Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 0-3 KDH, Mavididi, Vestergaard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justfoxes Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 (edited) I’m split between a draw and a win today depending how Enzo puts out the the squad and game plan, we can’t start Vardy every game and I hope Enzo can see this so I’m thinking Nacho up front and later in the game I can see us bringing Cannon on towards the 60th min hopefully we can go there have a smash and grab come away with all 3 points a difficult hard but winnable game ! Mads Faes Vesty Coady Ricardo. JJ Winks Mavadidi KDH. Fatawu Nacho Edited 11 November 2023 by justfoxes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyKopCorner Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 There’s a good chance of a draw today. A win, of course, will be huge. The in-laws are all smoggies so extra important we don’t lose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weller Wing Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 Is this likely to be viewable anywhere? The rest of my family have gone to the game , and someone had to stay at home and look after the dog. So i got the short straw 🙁😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gw_leics772 Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 (edited) 21 hours ago, StriderHiryu said: On paper I'd expect us to win this game. They will create problems, but like we've done in pretty much every away game this season, we should be able to kill them with our quality and especially on the transition. Stephy Mavididi in particular could have a lot of space to work with if we find him. This made me realise I'm not over the Leeds game yet and have still got the right old hump with Leicester. My first reaction was, let's hope we don't just keep lumping it long to fatawu then over and over again even if it's not working. (Thinking this might be a vestergaard brain limitation?) Great analysis as always. Very thorough. Gives us luddites some insight (and helps us sound like we know our shit 🤣) Edited 11 November 2023 by gw_leics772 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paninistickers Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 A win today I reckon puts the whole tin lid on the thing, a bit like the Norwich game. Chasing pack are desperate for a wobble. If we avoid that, bounce back both our players and opposing players know resistance is futile. We'll slip up occasionally but we all know we'll just motor on regardless. Hope we don't lose then! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoyleFox Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 Desperately need a win here. I'm away on holiday, there are only another couple of Brits and they support Cov. They were delighted at the Leeds debacle, so, I need Enzo to sort his sh1t out today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thequickbrownfox Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 It's often a good game against Middlesbrough. Always reminds me of the League Cup final of 1997. Future Leicester legend Nigel Pearson appears in the famous photo after Heskey's scrambled late equaliser! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 2–2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 12 minutes ago, FoyleFox said: Desperately need a win here. I'm away on holiday, there are only another couple of Brits and they support Cov. They were delighted at the Leeds debacle, so, I need Enzo to sort his sh1t out today! leeds was a blow - but the result was about right. Normally championship sides wilt int he last 15 - but leeds defended well and didn't tire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HybridFox Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 8 minutes ago, Thequickbrownfox said: It's often a good game against Middlesbrough. Always reminds me of the League Cup final of 1997. Future Leicester legend Nigel Pearson appears in the famous photo after Heskey's scrambled late equaliser! If you can't beat em join em! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adejo92 Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 1 hour ago, fox_favourite said: I'm going for a draw as well Yup, just got a feeling, although the more I look at Middlesborough, there hasn't been any real 'amazing' results in their run of good form. Beat an 'at the time' very poor Birmingham and a Norwich side who are shipping goals for fun. They can clearly score goals though and I think they'll come at us. As always, depends what Leicester team turns up I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxinsocks Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 (edited) 43 minutes ago, gw_leics772 said: This made me realise I'm not over the Leeds game yet and have still got the right old hump with Leicester. My first reaction was, let's hope we don't just keep lumping it long to fatawu then over and over again even if it's not working. (Thinking this might be a vestergaard brain limitation?) Great analysis as always. Very thorough. Gives us laddies some insight (and helps us sound like we know our shit 🤣) Confused by this. man city, arsenal and liverpool all play balls beyond their wingers - fatawu and mavididi often have 40yards of space to run into - thus turns the defenders who are then running back and unable to track the runs (KDH, ndiddi etc). This is an important option that keeps defenders on their toes. A feature of the Leeds games was the gormless performance of cassadai (just wandering around and second to the ball); and Leeds' fitness - they did not fold at 75minutes like many championship clubs. They sat back, respected us and defended well for 90 minutes. I expect Middlesborough to be much more open at the back. Edited 11 November 2023 by foxinsocks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sol thewall Bamba Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 0-2 Fatawu brace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beepee1984 Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 7 minutes ago, Thequickbrownfox said: It's often a good game against Middlesbrough. Always reminds me of the League Cup final of 1997. Future Leicester legend Nigel Pearson appears in the famous photo after Heskey's scrambled late equaliser! OMG - This always reminds me of the days before the Internet everywhere and the longest 16 hours of my life waiting ... before finding out about this goal The only Wembley match I've missed in my life because I was on holiday in the US with my grandparents and flying home on the day of the final. I timed it perfectly, the match had just finished and called home from the hotel to find out the result just as the coach pulled up to take us to the airport. My Dad said it finished 0-0, we are in extra time and just as my Nan snatched the phone of me to hang up as the coach was waiting I heard my Dad shout "Middlesboro have just scored" I spent the whole journey home pestering my Grandparents to find out the result - Dad was winding me up wasn't he - But there was no way of knowing. Got home in the early hours, no papers anywhere - Coach trip from Heathrow to Leicester before I got home ran in to switch Ceefax on and eventually found out that my Dad hadn't been winding me up - but Heskey had equalised and we still had another cup final to play 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FosseSpark Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 only 'evolution' i think we need post the leeds game is for the players to feel confident to play the forward pass if the other team are open wide. at the minute we are a little bit like someone who has been taught a skill but isn't yet confident to do it without thinking yet. Like a junior cyclist just after the training wheels come off. Quite often you can see the players thought process as they choose to check back and build again, when the obvious pass in front of them is open but they daredn't take it. to really kick on the players need to make it up on the fly a little more often. I think if we play 90% as 'taught' by Enzo and have 10% where we just go with what is on then we will be really taking teams apart. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spudulike Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 1 hour ago, Weller Wing said: Is this likely to be viewable anywhere? The rest of my family have gone to the game , and someone had to stay at home and look after the dog. So i got the short straw 🙁😉 That's ruff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkerleeds Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 1 hour ago, Weller Wing said: Is this likely to be viewable anywhere? The rest of my family have gone to the game , and someone had to stay at home and look after the dog. So i got the short straw 🙁😉 Hope someone throws you a bone mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzard Posted 11 November 2023 Share Posted 11 November 2023 I don't think Boro use the iFollow platform either.... are we going to struggle to get a stream for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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